Kansas City, MO—A multi-vehicle collision, caused by a suspected truck thief, resulted in serious injuries among six people on Tuesday, July 6, 2010. The crash shut down the southbound lanes of U.S. 71 for several hours following the afternoon wreck, as reported by the Kansas City Star.

The Kansas City police said the driver who caused the four-vehicle wreck was driving a truck that had been reported stolen. A Kansas City police surveillance team was reportedly following the suspect when they witnessed him trying to break into another vehicle. When officers approached him on foot, the suspect fled to avoid being arrested. A helicopter was called in to provide radio updates about his whereabouts as officers strategically placed a device to puncture the truck tires.

The suspect reportedly drove into Kansas City from Raytown in the wrong lanes of Missouri 350. When he turned west onto 63rd Street, he reportedly reached speeds of 70 mph. Officials reported, “At U.S. 71, the vehicle veered north, exited briefly at 59th Street, and then re-entered U.S. 71 heading north in the southbound lanes. At 55th Street, as the vehicle approached a red light, a SUV entered the intersection and was hit by the truck.”

The impact of the crash caused the SUV to turn onto its side as it hit several other vehicles on U.S. 71. The other vehicles were stopped at the red light at the time of the crash. A total of four vehicles were involved.

Responding emergency crews had to extricate three people from their wrecked cars. The victims, six in all, sustained serious injures. The suspect sustained a broken leg and possibly other injuries.

No charges have been filed at this time. An investigation is underway.